Trial by water

There’s nothing like a major water main break to remind residents of any community just how much they owe to infrastructure, and the people who keep that infrastructure in good repair.

Monday afternoon’s break in a 30-inch water main on Chandler Street disrupted schools, businesses and traffic. It rang up a yet-to-be-calculated repair bill, was a boon for the portable toilet business, and even threw that most American of routines — the morning coffee run — into chaos.

But the city’s response was nothing short of magnificent, beginning, of course, with the DPW workers who labored through the night and by early dawn on Tuesday had repaired the pipe. City authorities moved swiftly and as efficiently as possible to inform the public of the scope of the problem, and made clear what precautions and restrictions would be in place and why. Schools delayed opening or closed, as appropriate.

The city’s medical facilities responded properly as well, moving to reduce their water usage, delaying elective surgeries where possible, and conserving both water and water pressure. Fire departments from surrounding communities rose to the occasion as they always do, deploying tanker trucks at strategic points around the city to guard against the danger of fire. Residents made do with coffee alternatives, and Polar Beverages stepped up in a big way, providing water to anyone for just a nickel a gallon at a kiosk on Hope Avenue.

Like many cities its age, Worcester’s water system is a mix of old and new, with some pipes dating back to the 1870s. The system distributes about 24 million gallons per day. After the air we breathe, there is simply nothing else that is as important to the community’s health, safety and economy as a clean, safe and abundant water supply.

Problems with that system are inevitable. They occur in every community, at times and places that cannot be predicted, and often to the great inconvenience of the public. Every one of them is a test.